Search

Personally, I’d like to think that we, as individuals, are independently responsible for our lives, and how we contribute to society. Ultimately, I do believe that – but it is also ultimately naive. I’d like to believe it’s that simple because it allows us to believe we are in control. In control of ourselves, our environment, our consequences, and our futures.

It’s the false belief that we are our own social agents. This is of course, not true, as much as we wish it was. We aren’t our own social agents – we are social agents, but not entirely independent from one another. There is a complex give-and-take; a balancing act, that determines the processes of constructing our society. It’s about us as individuals, yes – but it’s also about institutions. If we believe otherwise, it creates severe cognitive dissonance within us, because it means we don’t enjoy the control that we believe we should.

One straightforward example of this is the case of social learning theory, pornography and violence against women. Meta-analysis of many different studies concludes that there is a correlation between acceptance of violence against women and pornography consumption (Malamuth, Hald, Koss, 2012). Other reviews of the historical scholarly literature (more meta-analysis of other studies) points to similar conclusions; that “a relationship exists between consuming pornography and attitudes that are supportive of violence against women, men’s dominance over women, and objectification of women,” (Hernandez, 2011). As they say, “you are what you eat.”

Many people in this case like to argue that, “Hey, you can watch porn, it doesn’t mean you’re going to go out and rape women.” But these examples challenge the idea that we are our own social agents, and in this specific case, media influences our attitudes and behavior. The conclusion is simple: discrimination and sexism are exacerbated in society by pornography. It’s not as simple as to say that a few people become rapists and sexists because they’re “just a few bad eggs.” If it was, it would be easier for us to mentally process and comprehend. We have trouble accepting the idea that we don’t have 100% autonomy over ourselves and our own perceptions.

The more power an institution has in money and political influence, the more power it has to shape our society. Karl Marx suggested that poverty exists due to the wealthy trying to get richer and even more powerful – inevitably taking resources away from those who do not have those resources, making the poor even poorer. Social Conflict theory shows that profit is put over people, time and time again. This is the most applicable theory in our post-industrial world.

Take our own country as an example – we have a number of domestic problems that urgently need to be addressed. Problems that include homelessness, obesity, gun violence, failing educational systems, immigration concerns, poverty, and having an increasingly broke government. Each and every single one of these issues could be addressed appropriately if there were not a powerful corporate lobby behind every issue, working to shape policy in favor of themselves making a profit – but not to better our nation.

Homelessness could be alleviated by a radical housing program, but according to Amnesty International, there are five vacant houses to every one homeless person in the US (TruthDig, 2011). In my hometown of Washington, DC, Bozzuto Properties and other property management companies are literally throwing together expensive apartment buildings everywhere they can – often on top of former affordable housing projects. They could provide some low-income housing as a service to the community in which they operate and benefit – but they don’t. They only provide the bare minimum of MPDUs (Moderately Priced Dwelling Units) required by law, which is usually one or two units per building. It’s a simple matter of profit over people. This is their right in a capitalist society. We live in America – don’t we also all have the right to live a life that’s free, for the pursuit of happiness? Unobstructed by Kings and Lobbyists?

In the case of obesity, we have a number of big agricultural/ corn companies lobbying to keep their high fructose corn syrup in just about everything you eat – because that makes them richer, and it makes us fatter (Merrion, 2004).

Gun violence is often in the news – there have been approximately one mass school shooting every six weeks since the Sandy Hook massacre, and 64 other school shootings since (Politifact, 2014). Why hasn’t more action been taken to reform our gun laws? It has lot to do with the exhaustive and successful corporate lobbying and propaganda by the NRA (Stone, 2013).

Still other issues relate the enormous amount of profit at stake, and the companies behind them. In the case of illegal immigration, undocumented workers are being detained at skyrocketing rates, in dangerous conditions, and often held indefinitely and without trial or representation (Abramsky, 2004 & Mejilla-Cuellar, 2014).

As far as our government is concerned – well, it’s basically been taken over by corporate ownership now. Our entire democracy has been bought (Krumholz, 2013).

The common denominator of all of these issues is very simple – there’s big business behind them. Profit over people.

I’d love to believe that we as individuals have power over our reality. But we don’t enjoy the power we like to believe we do – in the world we live in, money is more important than people. If you believe more in the “personal responsibility” perspective more than the “social” one, then it’s worthwhile to evaluate why we have created a world that we can no longer so easily control. Furthermore, if you subscribe to the “personal responsibility” perspective, then it’s time to take some of our own in allowing some institutions to become so out of control.

Hernandez, D. (2011). The Effects of Consuming Pornography: Men’s Attitudes toward Violence against Women, Dominance over and Objectification of Women, and Sexual Expectations of Women.Perspectives (University Of New Hampshire), 116-123.

I had the distinct pleasure and privilege to attend a DC event put together by an international non-governmental organization, that featured notable speakers and panelists on global women’s issues.

Hundreds of professionals and scholars gathered to learn more about the pandemic of violence against women and the barriers to universal education for girls. We swapped stories and traded perspectives; we bonded and tweeted; we texted our friends to let them know how much they were missing.

As I settled in to my seat with my glass of wine and a few chicken cordon bleu hors d’ouevres, I chatted with a neighbor.

Celebrate! Yay! We’ve come so far, nationally and globally. But there is much to be done. Patriarchy is the law of the land, and women and girls suffer infinitely because of it.

But there is hope. Not only are we close to achieving certain #MDGS (Millennium Development Goals), but organizations around the world are identifying obstacles, appropriating resources, and implementing solutions.

The best part of International Women’s Day is that warm, fuzzy feeling, when all your year-round hard work amongst advocates everywhere is highlighted in a mainstream way, and you see the results of such work: real change. But a lot of the coverage I have seen lately is on solidarity, momentum, consciousness-raising, and awareness. All of those are all well and good, and indeed, the foundation of change itself. But as we all know, caring is not enough. Not even if everyone cared.

Our bleeding hearts may break together, but even our collective, synchronized heartbeats won’t deafen reality: we must do more, while simultaneously keeping our voices aimed at raising the profile of the issue. We must work on the issue from all angles, simultaneously, in tandem with one another. Balancing this is hard work.

I am SUPER excited to attend the National Council of La Raza’s National Latino Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill! Poised to be a powerful event for both consciousness-raising and legislative action, it is sure to provide a lot of fantastic new experiences.

From NCLR:

The 2013 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days will bring together hundreds of leaders from Latino nonprofit and civic organizations throughout the country, offering a unique opportunity to make our voices heard on Capitol Hill on the vital issues impacting Hispanic Americans. During the event, representatives from NCLR Affiliates and partner organizations will receive intensive training on policy and legislative advocacy, learn about federal policy issues affecting the Latino community, and build relationships with their members of Congress through legislative visits on Capitol Hill.

I hate to say it, but I think the CARE Conference, amazing and profound as it is, has grown to be so unstoppable, I feel like it needs my presence a little less than this event. I want to add my voice to the group of people knocking on legislators’ doors, representing the Latino community and diaspora in America. The CARE conference is absolutely massive – but how many Latinos are in this country who don’t have the opportunity to hop on the metro and be knocking on their Congressional representative’s door in less than a half hour, like I do?

Not to mention, it looks like an awesome place to network with other Latino trailblazers, activists, and advocates for change. The night before the conference, I may have the opportunity to volunteer for the NCLR National Capital Awards, kind of like the ALMA awards but for politicians, ha!

To learn more about the conference, click on the above photo. March 6 – 7 in Washington, DC!

Every 15 seconds in America, a woman is beaten. Every two minutes, she or another is raped. Rape is the ultimate act of sexism and patriarchy; the physical manifestation of the dehumanization and objectification of woman from personhood to the worth of her vagina, and taking away her rights, choice, and agency as an individual.

Sexism is alive, well, and killing women and girls, right here, right now. Not just halfway around the world, not just during wartime, not just in poor neighborhoods, not just in the Midwest, not just in urban areas, not just in college, not just in prisons, not just anywhere. Everywhere.

To think that sexism isn’t that bad anymore, it’s time to stop navel-gazing and hold up a mirror: 1 in 3 women in this country have been raped and/or beaten. Are you one of them? Do you know one? Maybe you do, you just don’t know it.

Personally, I am very fortunate to have never been in a situation where I ever needed to defend myself, but I am still in my early twenties. Though I feel sorry for the person who may attempt to attack me one day. They have no idea that La Capitana is really a superhero, and will absolutely kick their f**king ass.

You may have heard of it. The Huffington Post was all over it, both in support of the campaign and also presenting some harsh criticism. But RISE we did, all around the world.

Super(S)heroes Unite!

In dark times of social ills and inequality, when the hammer of oppression falls upon the masses, when beauty and truth are crucified in the commons, and when the collective VOZ DE LA GENTE falls silent in fear, there is one woman who answers the call. Neither god nor demon, she brings the flames of justice to the devil's door. Her voice is her only weapon. #JointheFight.

Featured Posts

Presenting a new theory of feminist sexual consciousness. Drawing on gender studies theory, ancient goddess archetypal literature, artifacts of the divine feminine, theories on the origins of patriarchy, neuroimaging and studies of physiology of women’s orgasm, and an attempt to formulate a radical and cohesive perspective on women’s contemporary sexual agency. Hopefully this presentation can […]

Pathologizing and medicalizing women’s sexuality is nothing new. Here is a brief timeline of just some of the appalling highlights throughout human history of how women have been treated regarding sex: Here is a great article from the New York Times on the pathologizing of women’s sex drives in modern times. To briefly cover how women’s sexuality […]

So Rihanna wore a lovely dress the other day. As expected, people hated on it. Why? Because women’s bodies don’t belong to them – they belong to everyone else, but definitely not themselves. Especially black women’s bodies. God forbid a black woman wears her own body without shame. Why is “shameless” a disparaging term? Harboring […]

The Way of the Superior Man: Rape culture. Gun culture. Culture of violence. I’d say “may the victims rest in peace,” but their families won’t – and there will only be more violence from alienated, disgruntled white boys who drown in privilege and entitlement, when they rage against their own insecurity. I’m angry, I’m sad, […]